NEET issue surfaces with a twist

NEET in news again

National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) has been in news for the last several days. There were no activities in the NEET area recently and all the candidates have been busy preparing themselves for the second phase of NEET on July 24, 2016, especially after the President of India signed the ordinance last month postponing the common entrance test to next academic year.

The NEET issue is not ready to calm down and has risen its hood again as the medical colleges of Karnataka has decided to give 1275 out of 1500 seats to the State Government. The same medical colleges had earlier decided to give 700 seats under the government quota to NEET cell, another 700 seats to COMEDK quota and the remaining 100 seats would be reserved under management/NRI quota.

It does appear to be a generous and student-favouring move by these medical colleges when one takes it at a face value. However, reality is completely different.

Why are the colleges submitting most of their seats to the State Government?

The medical colleges could earn Rs. 60, 000 for each seat per year in the case of 700 seats under government quota; this is before NEET exams. As far as the remaining 800 setas, which come under COMEDK, are concerned, they could charge Rs. 4.6 lakh per seat. If the aforementioned proposal of the colleges is accepted by the State Government, the colleges would take Rs. 4 lakh per seat for all 1500 seats.

The students are again left in limbo as the proposal of medical colleges to the State Government regarding medical seats has led to confusion and caused delay in the CET process. NEET was brought to life in order to make medical seats for MBBS and BDS aspirants available at less fees and without any kind of descrimination. Its sole purpose was to admit talented candidates to colleges and produce knowledgeable medical professionals for the society at large.

Nevertheless, the recent changes regarding the seat distribution under government quota seems to have taken a different path, completely different from what NEET had designed. As the whole country had witnessed the NEET issue earlier, the medical colleges of Karnataka have once again attracted the attention of MBBS and BDS aspirants for their unexpected move.